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Mohan Lal was born to father Viswanathan Nair and Mother Santhakumari in Pathanamthitta district of Kerala, in the Southern part of India on 21st May 1960. Starting his career with a classic villain role, he has now become an outstanding actor of Malayalam Cinema in Kerala. Without no doubt, Mohan Lal is today's one of the best actors India has ever produced. He is also rated one of the most talented actors in India. His ranges of movies are enviable, his comedy roles are incomparable and his unique style of dialogue delivery is effortless. Not many actors can portray both comedy and serious roles with the same ease. And with all these rare talents he has received "Padmashri", one of the nations highest civilian honors. He also won the National award for the best actor twice for films Bharatham (1991) and highly acclaimed Vaanaprastham (1999).

He has reached this position with his hard work and devotion to the movie industry. As far as his acting is concerned, it's been acknowledged many times that he's the most gifted actor on the Indian movie field.

Mohanlal is best known for his work in Malayalam films. He was born to Viswanathan Nair and Santhakumari in Pathanamthitta district of Kerala, in the Southern part of India on 21 May 1960.

Lal's rise to fame began with roles as villains until the late 1980s, then he was introduced in a leading role by the director Fazil. Sibi Malayil's Kireedam gave him a special mention in the National Awards of India, and he later won the Best Actor award for his work in Malayil's Bharatham. More recently, he bagged another Best Actor award for his role in Shaji N Karun's Vaanaprastham. Vaanaprastham won him acclaim in international film festivals and Lal was lauded by internationally renowned directors and critics.

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Along with Mammootty, Mohanlal is considered the biggest star of Malayalam movies.

Has had box office hits with Priyadarshan on all the movies they did together.

His father is Viswanathan Nair, his mother is Santhakumari, his brother is Pyare Lal, and his children are Pranav and Vismaya.

His famous line "Endha Mone Dineshaa" is now a common phrase used humorously in the Malayalam language.

His brother, Pyare Lal, died during a military exercise

Passed out of University College Trivandrum

He has singlehandedly distributed more films in his home state of Kerala than the NFDC. These are usually film of parallel cinema, such as Santosh Sivan's The Terrorist.

Produces and distributes films in Kerala through two companies, Pranavam Arts and Pranamam, which he floated some years ago. He is also a partner and director of Uni Royal Marian Exports, a major Kozhikode-based seafood export company, and has set up a restaurant in Dubai called 'Lal's Tastebuds'.

Won the National Award for Best Actor for his roles in Bharatham (1991) and Pilgrimage (1999). Mohanlal also produced Pilgrimage (1999), which won the National Award for Best Film. Was also awarded the Jury's Special Award for Kireedam (1989).

Partner and director of Uni Royal Marian Exports, a major Kozhikode-based seafood export company, and has set up a restaurant in Dubai called Lal's Tastebuds.

Mohanlal is the Goodwill Ambassador of AIDS awareness campaign by 'Kerala AIDS Control Society'.

Mohanlal is the Goodwill Ambassador of Handloom textiles in Kerala.

In 2003 on the 25th anniversary of Mohanlal's film career, a week-long celebration and a stage show was held in Trivandrum by his fans and friends. The proceeds from the stage show were donated to charity. Malayalam television channels, Asianet Television and Surya TV also held separate stage shows to celebrate the anniversary.

Mohanlal was chosen as the "Most Popular Keralite" by a survey conducted by Deccan Chronicle in 2011.

Mohanlal was ranked top 1 in the popular choice section as the "Best Actor of the Decade" (2002-2008), a survey conducted by HindiFilmNews.com.

Mohanlal holds a place in the Limca Book of Records as " People of the Year Award" in 2009.

Mohanlal was granted the rank of honorary Lieutenant Colonel in the Indian Territorial Army in 2009, the first instance of an Indian actor being conferred an honorary army rank.

Mohanlal was conferred an honorary Black Belt of Taekwondo by 'World Taekwondo Headquarters' in Kukiwon by South Korean Government. He was the third Indian citizen to achieve this feat.

Mohanlal was awarded Honorary Doctorate by Sree Sankaracharya University of Sanskrit in 2010.

Mohanlal was awarded "IMA Award" by Indian Medical Association in 2003.

Mohanlal was selected as the 'Most Popular Keralite' in a 2006 online poll conducted by CNN-IBN and IBNLive.com on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of Kerala's formation.

Mohanlal is the Goodwill Ambassador of Kerala State Athletics, as selected by the Kerala State Athletics Association.

In 2008, Mohanlal underwent 18 months of 'escape artist' training under Magician Gopinath Muthukad. He had planned to perform a stunt called 'Burning Illusion' in Trivandrum. However this was cancelled later on allegations that it is a dangerous act.

Mohanlal owns Maxlab Cinemas and Entertainments, a Malayalam film distribution company and Vismaya Max, a film post-production studio and a college for dubbing artists at Kinfra Film and Video Park, Trivandrum.

He owns many restaurants including a chain in Dubai called Mohanlal's Tastebuds, Travancore Court in Kochi and 'The Harbour Market' in Bangalore.

Mohanlal was granted the rank of honorary Lieutenant Colonel in the Indian Territorial Army in 2009, the first instance of an Indian actor being conferred an honorary army rank. Rules had to be amended to accommodate him as men above the age of 42 are not eligible to join the volunteer force.

Mohanlal received his first Best Actor Award when he was in sixth grade at Model School for a stage play called "Computer Boy" by Veloor Krishnankutty. He enacted as a ninety-year-old in the play.

Mohanlal was chosen as the "Most Influential Indian 2013 from Kerala" by an online survey conducted by Outlook India.

Mohanlal is the captain of the Kerala Strikers team in the Celebrity Cricket League (CCL) held in 2012 , 2013 & 2014.

Mohanlal was awarded an honorary doctorate by Sree Sankaracharya University of Sanskrit, Kalady in 2010. The citation praised Mohanlal as "an excellent performer after actor Sathyan in Malayalam film world, who essayed a rich variety of roles with equal ease and poise".

He owns a house at Burj Khalifa at Dubai.

Reader's Digest India described him in 2004 as "cinema's jack of all trades and master of many".